The Companion
by Cat Hope Valentine
Summary: (I'm horrible at writing summaries) Inara has an interesting client- she and Esmerelda really... click. -very little Disney- -so much Firefly- -lot of Inara, since she's the main character- -K Rating because anything can happen-


_**Hey it's me! Long time, no see. O.o You guys okay? Here, sit up a little. Go get a snack. Go get a drink. Go to the bathroom. Now get ready to read this story, little internet warriors. But this is a wonderful crossover! YAY! It's a firefly/Disney crossover, there's very little Disney though, like so little it's just a client of Inara's, and you know the summary because you clicked on it- enjoy? –Kate**_

Inara paced her cabin, stroking the curtain that hid her bed as she moved. There was a knock on her door and Inara sat down on her couch. "Come in." She said softly, and Kaylee poked her head in. "'Nara? Mal says we're about to land." Inara nodded. "Thank you, Kaylee." Kaylee nodded and bumped loudly down the stairs to the engine room. "Kaylee, the engines thumpin'!" Inara heard Mal shout. "I'm gettin' there Mal." Kaylee said, a chuckle to her voice. "Anyways, she's just tired. Ain't done a lot a movin' in the last couple of days." Inara could practically see Mal's eyes rolling. She chuckled and picked up her tea kettle, filled a cup, and spun a few tea leaves aimlessly around in it. Inara watched the tea dilute into the water, turning it a dark brown. She stood up and, sipping the tea slowly as not to burn her mouth, Inara raked through her closet. She didn't remember where they were going, so she popped over to Zoe and Wash's room next door. Inara knocked quietly. "Come on in." Wash said, his voice sounding kind of let down. When Inara peeked in, she giggled a little at Zoe, who was tossing darts at a board and Wash, who was sitting on their bed. There were a few darts barely on the board, and Wash had clearly lost. "Hey Inara. What do you need?" Zoe asked, looking up from her darts. "I forgot where we were heading. Wondered if maybe you knew. And shouldn't Wash be…" Inara pointed towards the control room. "Piloting?" Zoe chuckled. "Autopilot." Wash said. Inara nodded and looked to Zoe. "Do you happen to know?" She asked. "Lilac is what Mal told me." Zoe replied, reaching her hand to the ceiling so as not to hit her head when she stood up. Inara nodded and smiled. "Thanks." Just as she waved to leave, Jayne burst into the room. "Mal says everybody get ready. 'Bout time to land." Inara nodded slightly and ducked around Jayne to leave. She could hear a conversation between the group trail off as she strolled further and further away. "Time to get ready, Mal said I was 'bout done." Kaylee said, popping into Inara's view. "Good. Are you having fun, Kaylee?" She asked. Kaylee tilted her head. "With Serenity? I mean sure, she's a good ship, but she ain't too good at games." Inara laughed lightly and wrapped her arm around Kaylee's shoulder. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't getting lonely by yourself." She said to her friend. Kaylee nodded. "Awful nice of you to care so much." She said, smiling at Inara. "It's my job as your friend. Do we have enough time for a visit?" Inara asked. "I ain't too sure. Why wouldn't we though, not as if I'm goin' out with 'em." Kaylee said thoughtfully. Inara smiled and twisted her door open. "Good." She said. "Haven't just talked in a while."

Kaylee sat on Inara's bed, watching her and smiling. "So what were you doin' when I popped in?" Kaylee asked, bouncing slightly on the mattress. Inara grinned at the ball of energy that was her friend. "I was… Oh, I never finished! I was picking out an outfit- I have a meeting with a client on Lilac tomorrow, and I thought it was worth it to have something I hadn't worn to help Serenity's crew on a job." She said, drifting effortlessly over to her closet again. Kaylee nodded and stood. She walked to the closet too and watched Inara touch the beautiful fabrics. "They're mighty pretty." Kaylee said in admiration. Inara smiled. "Thank you. I just can't find the right one…" Kaylee removed one carefully. It was slightly torn and dirt was in patches amongst the silk and the print. "Is this what happened to the dress you wore to help the crew and Mal?" Kaylee asked, admiring the beautiful dress. Inara nodded and tisked quietly. "It was a good one too. Not in good enough shape to wear for clients now though. Shame." Kaylee was still feeling the rich fabric in her fingers and barely heard Inara say, "Kaylee, would you like it?" But the thought of it being hers caught Kaylee's attention. She gasped. "Me? Well I sure couldn't take it-" Inara cut her off. "Did you not just hear me? I can't wear it, and I'd love for it to go to a good home… It'd look lovely on you, even if you could only wear it on the ship…" Inara said, and she held it up to Kaylee as if to demonstrate her point. "Really?" Kaylee asked quietly. Inara nodded. Kaylee broke into a big smile and spun, holding the dress. Inara couldn't help but grin at her friend. She selected a dress for Lilac and slid it on and her other dress off, an art she had perfected without getting naked. Kaylee smiled. "How are you so good at all this?" Kaylee asked. "The tea, the dresses, the making people comfortable and loved?" Inara sat Kaylee down on the bed next to her. "Why are you so good at machines, making people happy, not breaking Jayne's neck?" Inara asked in return. Kaylee giggled. "I still ain't got that last one perfected yet." "None of us do, sweetie." Inara chuckled. Kaylee looked at the dress, all dirty and torn- and it was still beautiful. Inara smiled. "Now how about we clean that dress of yours?"

Kaylee didn't know how Inara did it, but by that night, her dress from Inara wasn't dirty or torn. There were large stitches fixing the tears, but it was alright. It still smelled like Inara's room, like Inara. Warm, spicy, and a hint of tea. That night, when everyone was done eating, Kaylee bounded up to her compartment and got out of her coveralls and packed up her supplies. During dinner, Simon had asked her about her tools. She opened her mouth to say something technical about the size of her favorite wrench's mouth and its flexibility, but Kaylee just smiled and instead, said, "Serenity's my patient. These are my doctor's tools, and she runs mighty shiny when she's all healthy." In her compartment, Kaylee adjusted her dress from the shindig she got to attend with Mal and Inara and a client and popped a strawberry in her mouth she had snuck from the food they had gotten from their last job. Carefully, Kaylee unfolded Inara- no, _her _dress, and slid it on over her head. It was soft and smooth and wonderful. Kaylee was tired, and she found herself curling up to sleep. "Knock, knock." Inara whispered, and when there was no response, she quietly slid open Kaylee's door to find her curled up, sound asleep, in Inara's old dress, a content expression on her face. So instead of talking, Inara left a note. Right on top of the strawberries. 'You look mighty shiny, Kaylee. –Nara'

_**Did you enjoy my first chapter? Very Kaylee/Inara centered, sorry, but Inara's the main character in this fic and I see Kaylee as her closest friend on the ship. Next chapter Inara has her client meeting on Lilac, and we see how Kaylee likes her dress some more. **____** Enjoy**_


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